The invention relates to a dartboard golf game. More particularly, the invention relates to a game which is played upon a dartboard, in which the dartboard is arranged and the rules are made so as to capture the spirit of the game of golf.
Golf is perhaps one of the most sought after sports. More people dream about playing golf than actually play golf. People who are fascinated by golf are either constantly wishing they had the time to play, had the money to play, or had the skill to play. Even people who seek to engage in the game of golf must first spend considerable time and effort to simply develop their swing, before they can even play the game.
In recent years, computer golf games have preyed upon the desire of the non-golfer to play the game. They are also targeted at the golfer who would rather be at the golf course, but must settle for the computer. Computer golf games have been developed which realistically depict the golf course with photo-realistic three dimensional images. They realistically illustrate a digitized golfer taking a swing, and the ball traveling down the fairway, obeying all the laws of physics and influenced by a simulated wind. However realistic the game is depicted on the computer screen, it requires very little skill of any kind to play. Human interaction is limited to selecting a club, and pressing a few keys to initiate the swing. Thus, computerized golf is more about learning the peculiarities of the program, and then making mental decisions about how to achieve the best results, than about developing any sort of physical skill.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,197,743 discloses a golfing dart game apparatus in which an aerial view of an 18 hole golf course is depicted. Because of the small space attributed to each hole, it seems extremely difficult to play, and would probably be quite frustrating for the beginner.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,020,807 to Barkley discloses a dart board which simulates a golf course. Barkley depicts a nine hole golf course.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,697,073 to Dooley discloses a golf photography dart board game, in which different images of a golf course are projected onto a screen at which the player throws darts. Dooley is quite complicated, and would be cost prohibitive to manufacture.
While these units may be suitable for the particular purpose employed, or for general use, they would not be as suitable for the purposes of the present invention as disclosed hereafter.